Expulsion tank collector plate

ABSTRACT

In a positive expulsion tank having a ribbed diaphragm provided within the tank wherein a fluent material admitted to the chamber on one side of the diaphragm forces liquid, in the chamber on the other side of the diaphragm, through the outlet port. A circular collector plate is secured to the tank outlet plate and is spaced from the wall of the tank to provide an annular collection channel which encompasses the center of the diaphragm rib pattern when the diaphragm is at its maximum off-center position.

United States Patent Peterson ha 3,656,662 [451 ta rs, 1972 [54]EXPULSION TANK COLLECTOR PLATE [72} inventor: Richard G, Peterson,Littleton, Colo.

731 Assignee: The United States of America as represented by theSecretary of the Air Force 221 Filed: May27, 1970 21 Appl .No.: 40,914

. 521 user. ....222/3s6.s s11 lnt.Cl "nevus/$4 [58] FieldoiSearch..222/386.5,389,95;137/5645;

[57] ABSTRAfiT in a positive expulsion tank having a ribbed diaphragmprovided within the tank wherein a fluent material admitted to thechamber on one side of the diaphragm forces liquid, in the chamber onthe other side of the diaphragm, through the outlet port. A circularcollector plate is secured to the tank outlet plate and is spaced fromthe wall of the tank to provide an annular collection channel whichencompasses the center of the diaphragm rib pattern when the diaphragmis at its maximum off-center position.

561 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures2,980,l77 4/1961 Glasson ..222/sss.s x i p Id 34' 25' 35 r fry 8 25 34 lEXPULSION TANK PLATE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In some positiveexpulsion tanks adiaphragm is provided within the tank. A gas or liquidis supplied to the tank on one side of the diaphragm to force liquid, onthe other side of the diaphragm, out of the tank. Radially oriented ribshave been molded around the apex of the diaphragm on the side adjacentthe outlet port so that the diaphragm will not form a seal at the outletport to shut off or substantially reduce the flow from the tank. Evenwith ribs thus provided, shut-off of flow is sometimes caused bymaterial between the ribs, when the apex of the diaphragm is notcentered on the outlet port.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION IN THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a partiallyschematic sectional view of a positive expulsion tank with a flexiblediaphragm; 7

FIG. 2 is a partially schematic'view of the device of FIG. 1 with theapex of the diaphragm in an off-center position;

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway plan view of the device of FIG. 2 showingthe off-center position of the apex of the diaphragm;

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway plan view showing an off-center apex of adiaphragm with a collector plate of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the device of FIG. 4 along the line 5-5.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to FIG. 1 of thedrawing, which shows a prior art positive expulsion tank having adiaphragm 12secured prevent sealing-off the outlet 18. When the apex 22is displaced from the center of tank outlet late 24, covering outlet 18,as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the diaphragm material between the ribs 20can substantially seal off the outlet.

To prevent this a collector plate 28, shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, ispositioned over the outlet plate 24. A boss 30 on the collector plate 28surrounds a projection 32 on the outlet plate 24 and acts together withribs 25 to space the collector plate from the chamber wall to provideannular peripheral liquid collection channel 34 and radial channels 35.The radius of collector plate 28 is great enough to cover the apex ofthe diaphragm 12 at its maximum possible displacement. V

In the operation of the device, the liquid follows ribs 20 on thediaphragm 12 until it reaches the annular collection channel 34. Theliquid then passes along a radial path between ribs 25 into the outletport 18.

There is thus provided a device to keep the outlet of a positiveexpulsion tank from being sealed off when the apex of the diaphragm isoff-center from the outlet ort.

I claim:

' 1. In combination with a positive expulsion type tank having aflexible diaphragm dividing the tank into upper and lowernoncommunicating chambers with an outlet port centrally located in thelower chamber, wherein the diaphragm has radial ribs positioned in apredetermined area around the apex and wherein the diaphragm apex canmove to various positions with respect to said outlet port includingmeans for supplying a fluent material to the upper chamber to force theliquid out of the lower chamber through said outlet port; a

device to prevent the sealing off of the outlet port by the diaphragmmaterial between said ribs, comprising: means for keeping said diaphragmfrom coming into contact with said outlet port including means forforming a circular channel, around the outlet port, of a greater radiusthan the maximum lateral displacement of the apex of said diaphragm fromthe center of the outlet port; said means for keeping said diaphragmfrom coming into contact with said outlet port including a circularcollector plate covering said outlet port and spacer means, between saidoutlet port and said circular collector plate, for spacing the collectorplate from the wall of said tank to thereby form said annular channelaround the outlet port.

1. In combination with a positive expulsion type tank having a flexiblediaphragm dividing the tank into upper and lower noncommunicatingchambers with an outlet port centrally located in the lower chamber,wherein the diaphragm has radial ribs positioned in a predetermined areaaround the apex and wherein the diaphragm apex can move to variouspositions with respect to said outlet port including means for supplyinga fluent material to the upper chamber to force the liquid out of thelower chamber through said outlet port; a device to prevent the sealingoff of the outlet port by the diaphragm material between said ribs,comprising: means for keeping said diaphragm from coming into contactwith said outlet port including means for forming a circular channel,around the outlet port, of a greater radius than the maximum lateraldisplacement of the apex of said diaphragm from the center of the outletport; said means for keeping said diaphragm from coming into contactwith said outlet port including a circular collector plate covering saidoutlet port and spacer means, between said outlet port and said circularcollector plate, for spacing the collector plate from the wall of saidtank to thereby form said annular channel around the outlet port.